Refuse receptacle holder for vehicles



April 6, 1965 R. M. HITTESDORF 3,176,950

REFUSE REGEPTACLE HOLDER FOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 50, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ROBERT M. HITTESDORF A TTOR/VE Y April 6, 1965R. M. HiTTESDORF 3,176,950

REFUSE REGEPTAGLE HOLDER FOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 30, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 6- I6 INVENTOR. ROBERT M. H/TTE'SDURF $39.8. BY

ATTORNEY United States Patent @hhce Patented Apr. 6, 1%65 This inventionrelates to refuse receptacle holders for use in vehicles.

The discarding of waste litter such as cigarettes, paper tissues,napkins and the like upon our highways and streets is attributable tosome extent to the absence of suitable refuse receptacles inautomobiles. Motorists who are frequently careless with respect todiscarding litter from automobiles would be apt to avoid littering thehighways and streets with unsightly trash if such automobiles wereequipped with conveniently located refuse receptacles.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an adjustablerefuse receptacle holder of the type adapted to be mounted on the dashpanel of an automobile, which is designed to utilize an inexpensivepaper or plastic container such as a milk carton to hold waste materialdiscarded by motorists. My receptacle holder is adapted to supportrefuse receptacles of either cylindrical or rectangular cross-sectionalshapes in positions within easy reach of the driver and passengers of anautomobile, thereby making it convenient to dispose of waste material ofvarious kinds without throwing it onto the highway. One of the importantfeatures of the present invention is the adjustability of the receptacleholder which makes it possible to adjust the receptacle horizontally aswell as vertically.

The present invention contemplates the use of inexpensive refusereceptacles of the type made from discarded paper or plastic milkcartons which can be easily mounted on and detached from the holder andwhich involve very little or no expense, since they are usually anexpendable item, having no particular use when emptied of theircontents.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed outhereinafter or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon anunderstanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of thisapplication, I have elected to show herein certain forms and details ofa litter receptacle holder which is representative of this invention; itis to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention hereinshown and described is for purposes of illustration only and thattherefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations ofinvention in the art.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of my invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of my invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of one of the parts of the receptacleholder assembly;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the part shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the receptacle embracing frame constituting apart of the assembly;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of myinvention.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a spring clip formedfrom a strip of spring steel or suitable plastic material and comprisingan upper jaw 2 connected by a curved spring 3 to a lower jaw 4, the saidopposed jaws being adapted to clamp onto the lower edge portion of anautomobiles dash panel A. The lower jaw 4 is connected to a downwardlyextending portion 5 which extends forwardly to provide a substantiallyhorizontal member '6 to which is pivotally connected as by a rivet orpivot pin 7 a semi-circular or other suitably shaped plate 8. The plate8 is adapted to be pivotally adjusted horizontally about thesubstantially vertical pin 7 in either direction. Secured to the forwardedge of the plate 8 is a transverse member 9 which is preferably,although not necessarily, of substantially cylindrical shape, the saidmember having an outwardly projecting axial projecs'tion it) on each endas well as a number of radial serrations or protuberances 11. Underlyingthe lower jaw 4 and secured thereto as well as to the downwardlyextending portion 5 is a triangular reenforcing member 12.

Adjustably mounted on the transverse member 9 is a receptacle supportingframe or bracket comprising two (2) opposed arms 13, 13 which areadapted to embrace firmly the opposite sides of a four (4) sidedreceptacle B having an open top and a closed bottom. The receptacle Bmay be of any suitable shape and construction, but preferably it is madefrom an empty milk carton by removing as by means of a knife the topportion thereof. The upper edges of the receptacle B are preferablyturned outwardly to provide a fiangc C for preventing the carton fromslipping downwardly to a released position with respect to the arms 13,13. The arms 13, 13 are structurally rigid, but they are suflicientlyresilient to permit the adjustment thereof outwardly from their normalconverging positions, as shown in FIG. 6, to generate sutficient tensiontherein to embrace the sides of the receptacle firmly. The forward endsof the arms are preferably turned inwardly as at 14 to engage theforward side of the receptacle. The rear ends of the arms are secured toa rigid transverse element 15 which normally extends in parallelrelation to the transverse member 9. The frame is provided with two (2)structurally rigid but flexible, adjustable side members 16, 16 whichnormally converge rearwardly, the said members being adapted to bemanually adjusted outwardly to substantially parallel positions withrespect to each other so they may be tensioned to engage firmly with theends of the transverse member 9. The rear end portions of the members16, 16 are provided with openings 17 to receive the axial projections 10of the transverse member 9, and the inner sides of the said members 16,16 are formed with radial serrations or protuberances 13' which areadapted to engage with the radial protuberances 11 of the transversemember to hold the frame and the receptacle supported thereby in asuitably adjusted position. It will be noted that the frame and thereceptacle may be adjusted horizontally in either direction about thevertical pivot pin 7, and that these elements may also be adjustedupwardly or downwardly about the axial horizontal projections 10 on thetransverse member 9. The spring clip 1 makes possible the easyattachment of the refuse holder to or its detachment from the dashpanel, or other part of a vehicle without the necessity of using screws,bolts or other means requiring a tool for its application.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in FIG. 8, the receptaclesupporting frame is provided with semicircular or arcuate shapedresilient arms 18, 18 which are adapted to embrace the sides of acylindrical refuse receptacle D. The arms are preferably serrated attheir inner opposed sides, or they may be provided with roughcued stripsto prevent normally the receptacle from slipping downwardly and becomingdetached from the said arms. The arcuate arms 18 are structurally rigidbut suiiiciently resilient to permit the tensioning thereof to embracethe sides of the cylindrical receptacle firmly.

3 The arcuate arms 18, 18 are suitably secured to the transverse element15 as by welding, or if these elements are constructed from a suitableplastic material, they may be formed as a unitarystructure in a suitablemold.

I In the embodiment of my invention shown inFIG. 9,

the transverse element 15 is provided centrally with a spring clip 19which comprises a depending stationary rear jaw 20 and a forward movablejaw 21. The forward jaw is connected to a curved tension spring 22 whichin turn is connected to the transverse element 15. The forward jaw 21 isnormally held in tensioned engagement with the rear stationary jaw 20.In this embodiment, the entire structure comprising the transverseelement 15, the side members 16, the jaws 20 and 21 and the springelement 22 may be formed integrally from spring steel or a suitableplastic material. In this particular embodiment of my invention, a paperbag or other suitable receptacle or a placard or the liketmay beadjustably supported by the spring clip 19.

' What I'claim is:

, 1. In a refuse receptacle holder for vehicles, a resilient unitaryclip formed from a strip of spring material and comprising opposed upperand lower gripping jaws adapted to engage with opposite surfaces of adash panel, the lower jaw having a forwardly extending portion disposedin a substantially horizontal position, an adjustable plate-like membermounted for lateral swinging movement on the said portion and carryingan elongated substantially horizontal transverse element, the saidelement having a pin-. like projection on each end thereof, and a refuser'eceptacle supporting frame mounted'for adjustment on the horizontalelement about a substantially horizontal axis and having opposedrearwardly extending resilient members normally arranged in rearwardlyconverging relation to each other but adapted to be adjusted outwardlyto provide tension therein, the said resilient members adjustablygripping the ends of the transverse element and having openings toreceive the pin-like projections on the ends of the elements, the framehaving opposed forwardly extending converging resilient arms adapted tobe adjusted outwardly to provide tension therein, the said arms beingadapted to embrace the sides of a refuse receptacle firmly.

2. In a refuse receptacle holder for vehicles, a resilient unitary clipformed from a strip of spring material and comprising opposed upper andlower gripping jaws to engage with opposite surfaces of a supportingmember, the lower jaw having a forwardly extending portion, anadjustable member mounted for lateral swinging movement on the saidportion and carrying an elongated substantially horizontal transverseelement having a pin-like projection on each end thereof, and a refusereceptacle supporting frame mounted for adjustment on the horizontalelement about a substantially horizontal axis and having opposedrearwardly extending resilient members normally disposed in' rearwardlyconvergingv relation to each other but in, the said resilient membersfirmly gripping the ends of the transverse element and having openingsto receive adapted to be adjusted outwardly to provide tension there 7the pin-like projections on the ends of the element, the said resilientmembers being adjustable as a unit upwardly or downwardly about asubstantially horizontal axis, the frame having opposed forwardlyextending converging resilient arms adapted to be adjusted outwardly toprovide tensiontherein, and the said arms being adapted to embrace thesides of a refuse receptacle firmly.

3. A refuse receptacle holder as set forth in claim 2, whereinserrations are provided on the contacting portions of the transverseelement and the resilient rearwardly extending members of the frame. 7

4. In a holder, a resilient unitary clip formed from a strip of springmaterial and comprising opposed upper and lower gripping jaws to engagewith opposite surfaces of a supporting member, the lower jaw having aforwardly extending portion, an adjustable member mounted for lateralswinging movement about a substantially vertical axis on the saidportion and carrying a substantially horizontal transverse elementhaving a pin-like projection on each end thereof, and a supporting framemounted for adjustment on the transverse element about a substantiallyhorizontal axis having opposed rearwardly extending resilient membersnormally disposed in rearwardly converging relation to each other butadapted to be adjusted outwardly in opposite directions to providetension therein, the said resilient members firmly but adjustablygripping the ends of the transverse element and having openings toreceive the pin-like projections on the ends of the element, andforwardly extending opposed arms on the frame, the said arms beingadapted to embrace the sides of a refuse holder.

5. In a holder for a refuse receptacle, a resilient unitary clip formedfrom a strip of spring material and comprising opposed upper and lowergripping jaws to engage with a supporting member, the lower jaw having aforwardly extending portion, an adjustable member mounted for lateralswinging movement on the said portion and carrying a structurally rigidelement having serrated end portions, and a frame having opposedrearwardly extending resilient members normally disposed in rearwardlyconverging relation to each other but adapted to be adjusted outwardlyin opposite directions to provide tension therein, the said resilientmembers firmly but releasably gripping the serrated end portions of thesaid element, the frame having opposed forwardly extending resilientarms normally disposed in forwardly converging relation to each other,and the said arms being adapted to embrace the sides of a refusereceptacle firmly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,458,329 1/49Archer 248-313 X 2,830,748 4/58 Faltin 224-42.46 3,019,954 2/ 62 Faltin224-42.46 3,117,673 1/ 64 Hatfield et al 211-99 CLAUDE A. LE ROY,Primary Examiner.

1. IN A REFUSE RECEPTACLE HOLDER FOR VEHICLES, A RESILIENT UNITARY CLIPFORMED FROM A STRIP OF SPRING MATERIAL AND COMPRISING OPPOSED UPPER ANDLOWER GRIPPING JAWS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE WITH OPPOSITE SURFACES OF A DASHPANEL, THE LOWER JAW HAVING A FORWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION DISPOSED IN ASUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION, AN ADJUSTABLE PLATE-LIKE MEMBERMOUNTED FOR LATERAL SWINGING MOVEMENT ON THE SAID PORTION AND CARRYINGAN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL TRANSVERSE ELEMENT, THE SAIDELEMENT HAVING A PINLIKE PROJECTION ON EACH END THEREOF, AND A REFUSERECEPTACLE SUPPORTING FRAME MOUNTED FOR ADJUSTMENT ON THE HORIZONTALELEMENT ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS AND HAVING OPPOSEDREARWARDLY EXTENDING RESILIENT MEMBERS